Macronutrient Tracking

The Bottom Line: Do You *Need* To Count Your Macros?

And like the example Eric Helms gave me to drive home his point, I know that, comparatively speaking, nuts are not a “good” source of protein. Helms explained that people may chow down on a lot of nuts in the belief that it helps them add protein to their diet, but the reality is that nuts are primarily made up of fat, which can result in the person adding to their total caloric intake — which is the bane of weight loss.

So, yes, at least having an understanding of the macros and being able to eyeball various foods for their macronutrient breakdown IS valuable. I do it all the time without even realizing it. As Eric says, “People need to at least be aware of macros. This doesn’t mean they need to track them 24/7 for the rest of their life and live with a food scale.”

So who does need the meticulous tracking?

“Competitive bodybuilders definitely need to follow specific amounts of macros because they have extreme goals so you need to ask them to do extreme things,” Helms told me. “It doesn’t mean they do it year round.” Rather, just when getting ready for a contest. And to a lesser degree competitive athletes, such as those involved in weight class sports, should pay relatively close attention to macronutrient intake because it allows them to make their weight without having a negative effect on performance.

How does the bodybuilder learn what their macronutrient ratios should be to achieve maximum benefit? There is always that online IIFYM calculator … “It’s limited, but it’s better than nothing,” Helms said of the calculator. “A consultation with a real expert is not a bad idea, but there are books and videos out there made by real professionals that you can find some good recommendations in.”

Nutrition expert Alan Aragon doesn’t meticulously count his own macros, but he too sees the value in at least having some macronutrient awareness. “People take things to the extreme,” he said. “I think it’s ridiculous when people track and say, ‘Oh, I have 17 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of fat and 2 grams of protein left for today so that means I can eat half a Pop-Tart.’” He said it’s better if they assess if they’re actually hungry instead.

“You can track every single macronutrient and bring your food scale everywhere you go, and that’s okay for a week or two,” Aragon told me, “but the goal is to graduate as far away from that fucking neurotic micromanagement of food intake as possible.”

I can’t think of a better quote to end this article on.

James S. Fell is a syndicated fitness columnist for the Chicago Tribune and author of Lose It Right: A Brutally Honest 3-Stage Program to Help You Get Fit and Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind, published by Random House Canada. Visit his site at www.BodyForWife.com for a free weight loss report. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.